Narrow Defeat For The Gate

By Tom Morris

The Gate start 2019 with a narrow defeat to local rivals Folkstone on News Years Day. 

New Year’s Day game got off to the worst possible start when on loan winger George Brown injured himself in the warm up, Chris Barnard came into the starting line up as his replacement. 

Folkestone had the perfect start when on 9 minutes the ball pinballed around our box from a deep corner and Yohan Ter Horst headed the ball home from 5 yards past the diving Louis Wells. 

The Gate responded well to this early set back and had several corners and throw ins in the Folkestone half. 

On 21 minutes Collin delivered a corner and Alex Flisher directed a powerful header that just went over the crossbar. 

The next 10-15 minutes saw several niggly fouls, bookings for Dymond and Barnard and few chances of note as both teams settled into the match. 

Our best chance of the half came on 36 minutes as Dave Martin’s goal bound header from 7 yards was expertly saved by the Invicta goalkeeper. 

There were no more chances of note and after two minutes of injury time the first half ended with the score 1-0 to Folkestone. 

The second half started with a period of good pressure from our players, a pot shot from Martin on 49 minutes resulted in a corner and what appeared to be a foul on skipper Liam Friend, no penalty, much to the delight of the home supporters. 

 It was the battle of the Paxman brothers with Alfie playing on the right wing for Folkestone but on 61 minutes Jack went for a mazing run into the centre of the Folkestone penalty area but failed to find Flisher with a through ball. 

The Gate continued to apply pressure throughout the second period, but we were thankfully to Wells for keeping the score at 1-0 with a good low save after a fast Invicta counter attack lead by Alfie Paxman. 

Our final chance came in the 89th minute when a rebound fell to Frannie Collin in the centre of the box, but he could only blaze a half volley over the cross bar, Folkestone saw out the game with a spell of possessions and after three minutes of injury time the game ended. 

Folkestone Invicta 1-0 Margate FC. 

The Gate are next in action at home on January 5th as we welcome Worthing to Hartsdown Park. 

Margate: Wells, Paxman, Mills, Friend ©, Swift, Dymond, Barnard, Robins, Flisher, Collin, Martin. Subs: Kallmeire. Lovell, J Costa Sani.

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